kepkitty
Full Member
Posts: 18
Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2012 8:58 pm
Location: Western NC

Peppers may need some help?

I have 15 pepper plants that were doing well but truly I haven't gotten a lot of peppers, just a fair amt. Now the peppers are staying smaller and some are not growing though the plant looks nice and full and green and healthy. I'm thinking I need to feed or give something to help them. Any thoughts on what? thank you! :)

erins327
Senior Member
Posts: 209
Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2012 10:21 am
Location: Houston, TX

I feel like we have the same problem every summer when it starts to reach 100 degrees. I see you are in NC kepkitty, so I don't know what your temps are like this time of year.

Right now ours just started flowering again, but I usually get no to little peppers late in the summer. And when I do they start to turn red when they are only about 2-3 inches long (jalepenos).

I have put compost down at the beginning of the growing season, perhaps they have 'used' it all already. We also fertilize with HastaGro every 3 weeks.

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GardenRN
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1102
Joined: Wed Jan 12, 2011 10:01 am
Location: Chesterfield, Va

Are they short on water?

I wouldn't be too quick to add ferts....too much nitrogen can make peppers do that with a quickness. Especially if the are actually chilis, not peppers. Which most things we call "peppers" are. The compost was a good suggestion and the way I'd go. If ou have added too many fertilizers it'll also help wash and mellow them out. Good luck!

Dillbert
Greener Thumb
Posts: 955
Joined: Sun Apr 04, 2010 3:29 pm
Location: Central PA

peppers and tomatoes need a range of daily temperatures to pollinate.

the plants proper love the full sun and heat (given TLC water, etc) but if the temperature stays above x'F "all the time" they will not pollinate - which means,,,, no fruits.

of course, if it's too cool, they won't pollinate either. just to keep the record "complete"

some years it's just doesn't pay to do peppers. plants thrive, temps stay high, flowers drop, no peppers. then as the season moves on, temperatures are "right" - big plant, blossoms & fruit galore, but now a bit short on sun hours to fuel the plant.

there's a lot of different "numbers" with regard to what's too hot, what's too cool. seems the specific varieties can differ quite a bit, then there's the green/sweet vs "hot" type peppers.

round numbers - daily air temps over 100'F and not dropping below 75'F on a daily basis makes for failed pollination. kindly do not shoot the messenger - the "hard data" is extremely varied and I've not found a "consolidated" source that's made sense of the many reports/studies.

which is all very fascinating, but leaves one with the question:
"it's the weather. what you gonna do about it?"

two years ago - pepper plants did spectacular. got mebbe two peppers.
this year, more better.

kimberley1978
Newly Registered
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Oct 21, 2012 12:24 pm
Location: CA

I prepare my garden early tilling in a bunch of manure and composted yard waste, get the peppers started indoors then plant out after the cold nights end. if you wait too late and it gets real hot it may be hard to get them going.

You keep them watered.



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